SunCable signs 70-year agreement with Traditional Owners to build NT solar farm
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The news: SunCable has signed a landmark 70-year agreement with Traditional Owners and the Northern Land Council to build Australia's largest solar farm.
The numbers: The multimillion-dollar agreement will see SunCable build a 12,000-hectare solar farm on Powell Creek Station, near the town of Elliott in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory.
Mike Cannon-Brookes’ $40 billion SunCable project is set to comprise a 6 gigawatt solar farm and battery storage in the NT, 800km of high-voltage transmission lines running overland to Darwin, and 4,300km of undersea cables connecting to Singapore via Indonesian waters.
The context: The deal with more than 200 Traditional Owners (TOs), who hold native title over the earmarked land, includes "stringent" environmental protection and cultural heritage preservation agreements.
SunCable first approached the Northern Land Council in 2019 and opened negotiations with TOs about options for a land use agreement in 2022.
The Northern Land Council has undertaken over 70 consultations to meet and bring together many families across Darwin, Katherine, Elliott, Tennant Creek and other remote locations where people live.
SunCable CEO Ryan Willemsen-Bell said the agreement is a step towards creating a "compelling proposition to attract global investment in an AI data centre precinct."
What they said: "The Northern Land Council is proud to have negotiated this deal with Suncable on behalf of the Traditional Owners of Janigirulu, Bamayu and Walanypirri," said Northern Land Council chairman Matthew Ryan.
"It sends a clear message that the Northern Territory is open for business. This demonstrates that Aboriginal Territorians are leading the way by participating in genuine engagement with big business."
Willemsen-Bell commented: "Today’s signing of the Indigenous Land Use Agreement marks the beginning of an enduring partnership between SunCable, the Northern Land Council and the Powell Creek Native Title Holders to develop this transformative renewable energy project in the Northern Territory."
"This agreement is a symbol of partnership, of shared vision, and of mutual respect. SunCable is developing one of the largest renewable energy projects in the region, designed to harness the Northern Territory’s world-class solar resource to deliver reliable, cost-effective renewable electricity to industrial customers in the Northern Territory and SouthEast Asia."
Walanypirri Traditional Owner Peter Henderson said: "Culture and country is really important to us. This deal shows how strong our Native Title is. We hope other TOs can also stand together and negotiate agreements to bring business on their country, just like us."
The source: SunCable media release
